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I'd like to call to orders connect to
the city council Caucus meeting for
Tuesday November 12th
2024 we have two public hearings this
evening if the clerk could
read public hearing number one regarding
Restore New York Grant application for
the former St Claris Hospital 6 centr
McCullen Street connected New York
public hearing number two public hearing
number two regarding amending certain
provisions of chapter 161 of the SKC
city code entitled garbage rubbish and
refuse we have six items for original
consideration if the deputy clerk could
please read item number one item number
one for a final consideration and
ordinance to amend section
will address Traffic Safety by
installing traffic calming measures on
city streets to reduce speeds and
designated um speeds on designated
public streets as identified by the city
engineer and SKC city
council item number two item number two
under final consideration an ordinance
to amend section
124-133 article Article 4 of the
connected city code alarm system
regulations discuss in committee with
objection on consent item number number
three item number three under original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor to accept a $2
6,46 Grant from the New York state
division of Homeland Security and
emergency services for the SKC Police
Department discussed in committee
without that objection on consent item
number four item number four under
original consideration a resolution
establishing a temporary moratorium
until February 11th 2025 on the
submission on processing of building
permits certificates of occupancy
certificates of use and land use
approvals of cannabis establishments
within the city of SKC discussed in
committee with objection on consent item
number five item number five under
original consideration a resolution
confirming the appointment of Philip
Kaufman to the connec municipal golf
course advisory committee discuss in
committee with objection on consent item
number six item number six under
original consideration a resolution
authorizing the withdrawal of 1710
Eastern Parkway from foreclosure
discussed in committee without objection
on consent if there's nothing more to
come before the city council caucus I'll
ask for a motion to
adjourn motion by Mr mudaron second by
Mr Williams all those in favor I we are
adjourned I'd like to call the city
council meeting to order for Tuesday
November 12th
2024 and ask everyone to stand for a
prayer our
um like to offer this prayer for for
elected
officials just one second of course now
there it goes right
dear God we commend our nation to your
merciful care that we may live securely
in peace and may be guided by your
Providence give all in Authority the
wisdom and strength to know your will
and to do it God we ask a special
blessing for those these leaders in
connec Lord as we do the work that has
been assigned to our hands Lord help us
to remember that we are called to serve
people as lovers of Truth and Justice in
Jesus name
amen I'd like to call on Jeff bule to
lead us in the Pledge of
Allegiance Pledge
Allegiance of the United States of
America
stand
indivisible and justice for
all thank
you if the clerk could please complete
the roll
call Mr
pres Mr
Farley Mr manini here Mr
muirin Miss Patrick is absent Mr
Williams Miss Porterfield here we have
two public hearings this evening and I
just like to remind that the public
hearing comment is extended to four
minutes and ask all comments to be
relevant to the public hearing number one regarding
Restore New York Grant application for
the former St cla's Hospital 600 mclen
Street um Ray
Gillan good evening council president
and council members mayor Ray Gillan
chair Metroplex and the County Planning
commissioner also proud resident of sken
the city of Sky uh the Restore New York
program it's a great Innovative State
program that helps restore large
structures that are vacant or in some
cases uh prepare them for demolition
these are structures that really have a
major impact on their communities um
we're very proud to tell you we've won a
number of these Restore New York grants
and use them for projects like Mohawk
Harbor the Redevelopment of the ALCO
site right now the the wedgeway building
at the corner State Erie where the city
played such a pivotal role and tonight
we're asking for your support as we move
forward with an application to obtain a
$1.5 million Restore New York Grant to
help renovate a nearly 400,000 SQ foot
building the former St cla's hospital
it's really an ideal application for
ReStore New York again Restore New York
is about restoring major structures that
are vacant and putting them back into
productive use helping to revitalize the
local economy you couldn't ask for a
better example than MOA Harbor than
wedgeway and now the former St Clair is
building and we have a dream team of of
developers uh Chris sparen whose family
has been operating a major uh
contracting company and development
company in sky for more than a hundred
years and Jeff bule who
is really the the most prominent now of
local developers with a tremendous track
record in the capital region and Upstate
New York have come together to form a
partnership and have the hospital under
contract Ellis is very supportive of
this uh they no longer had a need for
the facility the idea is to restore this
get this grant funding put other
resources together and rehabilitate this
vacant hospital to something that is
going to be very productive and uh
helpful to skty and also for the first
time since the hospital was built in
1949 put the building back back on the
tax rols and generate tax revenue for
the city the county and the school
district so we're very excited to have
the developers here tonight and uh we'd
ask for your careful consideration of
this uh proposal when it comes before
you so that we can submit the
application in December thank you thank
you Jeff
bule good evening uh speaking on behalf
of my partner Chris span SKC native but
piece of trivia I was actually born at
St Clair so I also am a SKC native and
now purchasing the hospital I was born
and which is a very weird thing to do um
very excited to be here tonight we have
a great track record of projects in the
city of SKC uh We've accomplished over
five historic rehabs this will be the
sixth uh this project is intended to
invest about $50 million into that
neighborhood um it will create uh if all
things go well about 275 Apartments and
some commercial space we would love to
see a daycare there if anybody knows
anybody looking for some daycare space
um think it would be a great use for the
neighborhood um this is a little outside
of the norm for what we typically do
usually the Investments we make are very
heavily Urban uh this is obviously
outside of a downtown and inside of a
neighborhood and so uh I would like to
repeat what Ray said I don't think you
want this building going vacant for very
long um we stand ready to move as
quickly as possible should the funding
be secured and uh think that it will be
uh a very Dynamic investment
um connecting two neighborhoods
connecting different spaces I personally
love it due to its proximity to
sometimes this may be hard for you to
believe it's hard to get disconnected
from people who are across the river on
the other side um but we think that this
is a great little project to help bridge
uh due its proximity to Route 7 and
getting back and forth it'll be um a
really great spot for people to commute
to other places as well so uh we're
excited to go if things go as planned
um picture
a 20 what year are we in uh 2026 2027
finish it'll be about a two-year project
uh two-year construction project thank
you very much appreciate your support
thank
you I have no one else signed up to
speak for public hearing number one so I
declare this public hearing
closed public hearing number two is
regarding amending certain provisions of
chapter 161 of the skincity code
entitled garbage rep rubbish and refu I
have two people signed up to
speak uh the first person is Joe
Anderson good evening members of the
common Council and the mayor my name is
Joe Anderson and I'm the president of
local
1037 I stand before you today to address
the matter that deeply affects our
community specifically the proposed char
charges for Waste bag fees for our
residents as we all know many of our
residents are facing significant
financial challenges a considerable
portion of our community relies on
assistance to make ends meet introducing
a fee structure that charges residents
for Waste bags could impose a additional
burden on those who are already
struggling while the proposed fee for
$2.50 per bag may seem reasonable to
some we must consider a broad Brad the
broader implications of such a policy
for many families every dollar counts
and this fee could mean the difference
between affording basic necessities or
not I understand that the council the
mayor and the commissioner have raised
valid concerns regarding the so-called
jackpots those larger items that require
special attention during waste
collection we all recognize that these
items pose a challenge for our labor
loaders who work tires ly to keep our
city clean and safe however however
rather though rather than opposing those
fees that could further straining our
residents I urge you to explore
alternative solutions that address these
concerns without penalizing those who
are already vulnerable one suggestion
that I put forth is some residents to
travel to City Hall to purchase stickers
for the pickup of these larger items
while these may seem like
straightforward solution
we must acknowledge that many residents
struggle with the cost associated with
travel not to mention time and effort
required to navigate City
processes this approach could
inadvertently create barriers for those
who need assistance the most instead I
propose that we consider implementing a
service called municipay offered by Auto
agent Data Solutions LLC or a similar
service this platform allows res
residents to select items that they need
picked up and paid for the service
online by adapting the
system we can streamline the process for
addressing jackpots while also
generating revenue for the city the the
solution not only simplifies the
experience for residents but also
ensures that we are not placing
additional Financial burdens on those
who are already facing hardships
furthermore this proposal can work in
tandem with the mayor's budget proposal
osal for a dollar per week or $52 per
year increase in waste collection fees
for non-t tax exempt properties this
modest increase in Revenue will help
offset the rising cost associated with
waste collection we support this
increase and encourage the exploration
of those other options to enhance
revenues and reduce costs related to
waste collection for the city in
conclusion I urge the council to
reconsider the proposed waste bag fees
and explore more Equitable solutions
that prior prioritize the well-being of
our residents let's work together find a
path forward that addresses these
challenges of waste collection while
ensuring that our community members are
not left behind thank you for your time
and consideration thank
you I have no one else signed up to
speak for public hearing number two so I
declare this public here I have oh okay
all right um we do have some written
comments with that were uh submitted
Deputy clerk sign to speak oh okay so
you're for both of them you want to be
on both of them because you're on there
twice okay so miss on the for the
garbage okay I signed up okay go Miss
Donan
yeah I just put that down a little hello
oh um yeah I'm speaking on the garbage
issue I know it's just proposed but I
the article in the newspaper uh like the
speaker before for that $52 fee seems
very reasonable to bring in extra
Revenue but I have a few concerns uh it
does mention there's a nuisance officer
that would go and be responsible for
deciding who's in violation or not and
uh if is that person already on staff or
is that going to be a new hire that
would be a question um and is that
nuisance officer U responsible then for
collecting the fees and everything else
that might be involved in violating the
proposed garbage plan and the other I
mean one thing I hope you do
consider is that plastic bags I realize
it might be easier to just run along and
take you know a couple bags at a time
and throw them in the dumpster however
on the streets we have a a lot of
squirrels and other their animals but
they rip through the bags and if you go
down the street on a day that the
garbage is waiting to be picked up they many just get torn and then the
garbage is on the street and that I
would not expect the collectors to clean
that up at all that I believe homeowners
for what happens now but most of our
stuff will be in the in
cans and that was something else I had
you would consider um a lot of it did
say
5bs the one of the quotes of 5 pounds
per day per person and I'm figuring a
lot of households might be a four-person
household which would be like 20 lb per
person
or 140 lb per week that
one uh apartment dweller could put out
parent two children and that's that's a
lot of garbage being put out um and if
it's in bags again I caution the real
how bags can be split going from the
regular garbage size that we have now
probably a 30 gallon up to a 45 gallon
even though a lot of 45 gallons are on
Wheels but older people like me I will
tell you navigating a 45 gallon
container is difficult I I mean even
though it is on Wheels and I would um
ask that
perhaps that be reconsidered to keep our
I guess the 30 gallon if it weren't
being considered what do all the
homeowners do with all their 30 gallon
trash cans that they have
already and
um um yeah that was big concern and I
noticed in the article you prob Maybe
the article didn't have it but um
recycling wasn't mentioned nor were the
leaf bags mentioned I know there's a
short period for leaf bags but I I would
hope that that would be continued along
with the um the
recycling and that those are my concerns
I thank
you goodbye thank you thanks thank
you okay we do have some written
comments that were
submitted written Communication number
one from Howard B HED and Melissa a
angler an emailed an emailed letter
requesting Council to do whatever is
required including increasing taxes to
continue existing level of service
regarding trash
pickup written comment number two from
Harold and Debbie schneiderwind an email
pleading to council to not Implement a
fee schedule for trash pickup they are
already on a limited income and live in
a house that has been in their family
since
1918 they have worn furniture and
appliances that they will need to
dispose of but will do so
reasonable from foral from former
councilman Vincent riggy um who actually
requested his email be read and in its
entirety his email reads Madame
President and council members I would
like to express my opinion on the
proposed change in the waste disposal
for City residents by limiting the
amount of waste a household can place at
the curb will lead to more litter than
we have right now leading to more demand
and on the more demand and on the city's
limited resources many households like
ours of two do not generate
much do not generate much waste so my
question is can we Bank the gallons of
waste that we do not produce
weekly if this change is adopted and we
are allowed 91 gallons per week I think
it would be only fair for a household to
bank the unused weekly gallons in case
of a household cleanup a party or in
case of
bellw case of bellw this past week
having four days added to our normal
pickup pickup due to two holidays when
the trash fee was adopted by the city
council 20 years ago the premise was
sold to the council by the
administration proclaiming that the city
will remove anything legal by city code
placed at the curb now for 2025
residents will be char charge with
higher fees and if this code changes if
this code change is adopted we will be
limited to the amount that we can put at
the curb along with charges for extra
gallons along with white pick white
goods pickup a true example of shrink
flation paying more and getting
less another eological fear is people
being over the gallon limit while
placing their trash or white goods in
front of other residents homes creating
a logistical nightmare I relas I realize
that there are chronic abusers of the
current system but why should the
majority of Residential Properties be
penalized Madame President and council
members I respectfully asked this body
to reject the proposed code change in
its
entirety written comment number four
from Albert capid dozi an email stating
that he is in favor of additional fees
for waste disposal for residents with
extraordinary amounts of trash garbage
waste Etc he also stated that the
calculation for a waste pickup were
incorrect 7 to 13 gallon bags of trash
does not amount to 145 G gallon
container of trash he does not agree
with the idea of placing trash bags at
the curb rather than in receptacles
since that could lead to trash being
blown around through the neighborhood or
scattered by
scavengers written comment number five
from Deborah Montana an email stating
that many times they have observed their
recycling being mixed in with trash she
asks that with the increase in the fees
that Improvement is practice for
healthier for a healthier environment
and care for the
community from buan Raman an email
expressing his frustration with with an
increase in taxes and additional fees
for garbage removal he questioned the
feasibility of tracking and weighing the
trash made alternative recommendations
and cited that the negative ways this
would impact the
community final written comment from
Luis Gundrum an email with questions
about logistics about the trash proposal
she asked that the council reconsider
The Proposal since there are no
Equitable way to enforce since there is
no Equitable way to enforce it
throughout all the neighborhoods in the
city thank you so the Commerce that were
summarized will be available so everyone
knows the in their entirety to the
council members when we're discussing it
at our next committee meeting we just
summarized it for tonight's meeting so I
have no one else signed up to speak for
public hearing number2 so I declare this
public hearing closed
ask now for approval of the minutes from
October 28th
2024 move by Mr
muin second by Mr vley all those in
favor I if the clerk Deputy clerk could
please read any Communications and
petitions Communications presented to
the city council for Tuesday November
12th
2024 under official we have none under
General we have none and under petitions
we also have none thank you
this time we'll entertain U privilege of
the floor on the legislative agenda I
have one person signed up to speak
Jackie
Donan oh I'm sorry I must have signed on
the wrong sheet I just I'm sorry I did
see your name that's why I wasn't sure
but so it's so you've Maj your comments
that you want to make that was just on
theage yes okay and thank you it it's
not a problem no problem at all okay so
I have no one else signed up to speak
I'm public comment on the legislative
agenda so I declare this public comment
closed this time I ask for approval of
the legislative consent agenda motion by
Mr Mancini second by Mr muin all in
favor thank
you uh and now we'll have privilege of
the floor regarding General City
business I have one person signed up to
speak George boram
and just so if you've never been here
before your time limit is three minutes
thank you yes good evening council
president council members and mayor my
name is George boram I'm the founder of
skincity Scholars Charter School a new
initiative to bring high quality
education to our community our vision is
to open in 2026 and create a unique
blending learning environment for
students in SKC SKC Scholars Charter
School will provide a a free highquality
education choice for families in our
community we want to work alongside
existing schools to offer an alternative
that supports students success and meets
diverse learning needs we'll start with
prek in prek in kindergarten in 2026 and
add one grade level each year ultimately
serving prek to fourth grade students
until we are fully enrolled in the year
2030 by focusing on foundational years
we aim to create a lasting educational
impacts that will benefit the SKC
Community SKC Scholars will combine the
strength of both monor and traditional
Charter School approach this unique
blend will nurture Independence
curiosity in our youngest students while
providing a structured highquality
Educational Foundation as they progress
our model is designed to adapt to
different learning styles supporting the
academic and personal growth of each
child we were committed to maintaining
small class size enabling individualized
instruction and fostering a sense of
community within the school well be a
welcoming inclusive School prioritizing
opportunities in all of our Scholars
with your support we're bringing this
initiative model to connecti offering
families a new choice in education and
helping shape a brighter future for our
students thank you for considering the
positive impacts connecti Scholars
charter school could have in our city I
look forward to Future conversations
with government officials and other
people of SCCY thank you thank
you I have no one else signed up to
speak on the public comment of City
business so I declare this public
comment
closed this time we'll have any
miscellaneous business of the
council Mr
Williams uh good evening and thank you I
just wanted to respond to the comments
that we've heard uh in person and also
recorded online regarding the trust fee
collections uh definitely with response
to uh the uh increase of $552 a year my
response to that is the hesitancy that I
voiced during our budget season last
year uh was just due to not wanting to
attribute any higher fees without us
evaluating other means to increase
Revenue which is what we've done through
a number of different um priorities and
initiatives led by Mr moodin which I'm
excited have offset the potentially High
higher increasing fees that we did not
see attributed to the taxpayers here in
the city of SKC
um however with response to the upcoming
proposal uh I I know that this is going
to be a huge adjustment and undertaking
for our city staff uh as these
conversations continue I just ask for
the members of the community to remain
uh tuned in and continue to voice your
concerns which have not fallen on deaf
ears I can speak for myself I've taken
an extensive amount of notes and part of
our conversations as these conversations
continue and um if they are rolled out
um is having a reporting uh period where
we are able to assess its impact on the
community in whatever way that it is um
presented uh so I just ask that the
members of the community continue to
provide us your feedback and opinions
and uh I I say often uh give us Grace uh
so I know although um the intent in
which you roll out projects and
initiatives matters uh I just ask for
the community to allow us the
opportunity to as Mr Anderson
highlighted adjust to the increasing
cost and race and waste removal thank
you thank you any other members of the
council
mayor mam president I yield my time okay
all right I want to thank everyone that
came out this evening for uh your
comments and what you offered to our
process and again I want to remind
everyone that the comments that were
sent in in writing are will be a part of
our deliberation as we move forward and
discuss the uh potential increase or
doing something different in garage and
making it more Equitable as well as
making sure that we're keeping our city
clean because that's our ultimate goal
so again thank everyone for coming out
tonight and if there's nothing more I
will entertain a motion to
adjourn moved by Mr Mancini second by Mr
Williams all those in favor I we are
adjourned thank you and have a good
evening Joel
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